Vibration damping arrangement for cable car

ABSTRACT

A vibration damping arrangement for a gondola of a type having a supporting unit attached to a cable, a hanger suspended from the supporting unit and a carriage suspended from the hanger. A vibration damping device includes an elongated hollow housing. A bottom plate of the housing defines a downwardly arcuate oscillation track which extends in a direction perpendicular to the cable. A vibration damping body is movably located on the oscillation track such that it can naturally oscillate on the oscillation track in the longitudinal direction of the oscillation track upon vibrations of the carriage. The vibration damping device is located under a seat inside the carriage, suspended from a bottom of the carriage, supported by the hanger above a roof of the carriage or mounted on the roof of the carriage in such a manner that it does not extend beyond width and length of the carriage. The vibration damping device does not substantially occupy a passenger room so that comfortableness is not degraded. A cover may be provided to house the vibration damping device thereby not affecting appearance of the gondola if the vibration damping device is located outside the carriage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.08/586,083, filed Jan. 16, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,797.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vibration damping arrangement usedfor an apparatus moving along a cable (wire rope, ropeway, etc.) such ascable cars and gondolas of a type which generally includes a supportingdevice fixed or running on the cable, a hanger suspended from thesupporting device and a passenger car suspended from the hanger.

BACKGROUND ART

A cable car facility which includes a passenger car, a hanger forsupporting the passenger car and a supporting device (e.g., a cablegripping unit or a traveling roller unit) for supporting the hanger andfixed or running on a cable is advantageous as compared with othertransportation systems since it is economically constructed and is ableto move in a steep track.

The cable gripping unit may be able to grasp and release the cable or itmay be fixed on the cable permanently. The cable is endless and directlycirculated by a separate drive. The drive is generally sprockets orpulleys provided at a lower station and an upper station. The endlesscable is engaged over these pulleys. The cable car is moved togetherwith the cable. One group of cable car facilities which employ such acable gripping unit and the separate drive for moving the cable isgenerally categorized into a single-cable automatically-circulating typeor a single-cable fixed carriage type. In the former type the cablegripping unit grasps and release the cable at predetermined positions,and in the latter case the cable gripping unit always holds the cableduring conveyance. In either type, only one cable is used. There isanother group of cable car facilities which employ more than one cable.In one type of this category, a traveling roller unit rolls on astationary cable and a drive cable which is moved along the stationarycable is used to move the cable car. The carriage is suspended from thetraveling roller unit. The drive cable pulls the traveling roller unit(and in turn the cable car) from the lower station to the upper stationalong the stationary cable. Generally two stationary cables areprovided: one for conveyance from the lower station to the upper stationand another for conveyance from the upper station to the lower station.In this case, one cable car is supported at each end of a U-shaped drivecable so that one cable car is pulled to the upper station along onestationary cable when the other cable car is lowered to the lowerstation along the other stationary cable. The drive for moving the drivecable is a pulley provided at the upper station. This is generallyreferred to as a reversible aerial tramway. In another type, a pluralityof cable cars are fixed on an endless drive cable and the travelingroller units mounted on the cable cars roll on two stationary cables.The cable cars pulled to the upper station move along one stationarycable and the cable cars lowered to the lower station move along theother stationary cable. The drive for moving the drive cable is pulleysprovided at the lower and upper stations.

All of these ropeway facilities use a supporting device (a cablegripping unit or a traveling roller unit) and the present inventionpertains to any type of such ropeway facilities.

It can be said that the cable car is a single pendulum having its pointof support (or a center of oscillation) at a certain point on the cableor on the cable car supporting device, and a cross wind causes the cablecar to roll. Such rolling vibration results in uncomfortableness anduneasiness to people in the cable car and in turn stoppage of operationof the cable car to avoid accidents. Conventional cable car facilitieshave such problems in safety and cost performance. Recently, the cablecars are used not only for mountain side sightseeing but also for ageneral transportation system. Accordingly, an arrangement forattenuating vibrations of the cable car is desired strongly.

One of vibration damping apparatuses for the cable car is disclosed inJapanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-87183 entitled "VibrationDamping Apparatus". This vibration damping apparatus employs a gyroinstalled on the cable car for vibration damping and can logicallyattenuate the vibrations of the cable car. This vibration dampingapparatus, however, requires a power source for a motor of the gyro.Generally, it is very difficult for the cable car to have an externalpower source. Therefore, the above idea is not practical.

Another consideration is needed for the vibration damping apparatus forthe cable car: since various structures are provided along the cable andaround boarding/stopping stations (e.g., lower, intermediate and upperstations) to drive the cable car along the cable, the vibration dampingapparatus mounted on the cable car should not intervene with thesestructures. In case of a single-ropeway automatically-circulating cablecar system, for example, a number of machines is provided at thestopping stations to accelerate/decelerate the cable car, grab/releasethe cable and open/close doors of the cable car. Along the cable track,provided are structures for supporting and guiding the cable with anappropriate tension and towers and arms for these structures. Asmentioned earlier, an attachment (i.e., the vibration damping apparatus)on the cable car should not contact or excessively approach theseaccessories. In other words, the vibration damping apparatus may projectabove and below of a main body of the cable car to a certain extent butit is disadvantageous if it projects front, rear, left or right of thebody of the cable car.

Another vibration damping apparatus for the cable car is disclosed inJapanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-280934 entitled "DynamicVibration Damping Apparatus For Pendulum-Type Structure". This apparatusis supported on a hanger above a roof of a carriage of a cable car(passenger car). The hanger downwardly extends from the cable to thepassenger car. The vibration damping apparatus has a size which does notprotrude from the passenger car in its width and length directions inthe horizontal direction so that it does not intervene the nearbystructures. However, this vibration damping apparatus employs aspring-and-mass type attenuator. Use of a spring makes adjustment of anatural period of a damping mass difficult. In addition, the dampingmass cannot oscillate in a large stroke since its stroke is limited bythe spring and a dashpot. Further, its maintenance is not easy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a vibration dampingarrangement for a cable car which does not intervene with necessaryfacilities while maintaining vibration attenuation effect of a vibrationattenuator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrationdamping arrangement which is easily applicable to an existing cable car.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrationdamping arrangement which is applicable to any type of cable car.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrationdamping arrangement which does not require an external power source.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrationdamping arrangement which can attenuate vibrations quickly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibration dampingarrangement which does not affect appearance of a cable car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibration dampingarrangement for a cable car which does not degrade passengercomfortableness.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrationdamping apparatus of which natural period is easy to adjust.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrationdamping apparatus which has a relatively simple structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrationdamping apparatus of which maintenance is easy.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vibrationdamping arrangement for a cable car of a type having a passenger carsuspended from a cable via a supporting device and a hangercharacterized in that a vibration damping device is located at aposition which does not intervene with other facilities necessary foroperations of the cable car.

The supporting device may be a cable gripping unit or a cable travelingunit. The supporting device is provided on the cable, the hanger issuspended from the supporting device and the passenger car is suspendedfrom the hanger.

The vibration damping device has a downwardly arcuate rail member and adamping weight movably located on the rail member. The rail member maybe fixed on the cable car via a cushioning member. The rail memberdefines an oscillation track for the damping weight. The damping weightnaturally oscillates on the rail member upon vibrations of the cablecar. The rail member may have a hollow elongated box housing having arectangular or square cross section or a hollow tubular housing having acircular cross section. The box or tubular housing defines a hollowspace therein. The hollow space extends in the longitudinal direction ofthe rail member and the attenuation weight moves back and forth (orright and left) like a pendulum on an oscillation track formed insidethe hollow space. The oscillation track may be defined by a pair ofrails laid inside the hollow housing. The rail member may be an arcuateplate having a predetermined radius of curvature and end plates may beprovided at the longitudinal ends of the plate. A bottom plate of thehousing itself may serve as the rails. The attenuation weight may havewheels on its bottom and side rollers on its lateral surface. Thedamping weight oscillation track may be defined by a monorail. Thetransverse cross section of the attenuation weight may be circular,rectangular or square depending upon the transverse cross section of thehollow space of the rail member. This type of damping device isgenerally referred to as a passive type since the damping weight is notforced to oscillate by a separate drive. Since the damping weight movesnaturally and the vibration damping device does not need an externalpower source, the vibration damping device is applicable to an existingcable car without considerable modifications and reconditioning. Therail member extends in a direction in which the cable car vibrates.Specifically, it extends in a direction perpendicular to the cable. Thevibration damping device may be placed under a passenger seat inside thepassenger car, suspended from a bottom of the passenger car, mounted ona top of the passenger car or supported above the passenger car. If thevibration damping device is placed inside the passenger car, it has asize which can be completely hidden under the seat. This vibrationdamping device does not affect appearance of the cable car and occupiessubstantially no space for passengers since it is under the seat. If thevibration damping device is placed outside the passenger car, it has asize which does not extend beyond the passenger car in a lengthdirection as well as in a width direction of the passenger car. Thevibration damping device outside the passenger car may be covered with acertain material to keep its appearance decent. If presence of thevibration damping device is not outstanding (generally the vibrationdamping device is hardly noticeable if mounted on or near the top of thecable car), the covering material may not be necessary. If the vibrationdamping device is provided above the passenger car, it may be supportedby the hanger. In any case, the vibration damping device does not extendinto the space for passengers. Therefore, the passenger room is notsacrificed in providing the vibration damping device and comfortablenessis not degraded.

When the cable car vibrates in its width direction, the rail memberfixed on the cable car also vibrates. This vibration energy is convertedto a kinetic energy of the damping body which causes the damping body tomove on the rail member. As a result, the vibration of the cable car isattenuated. By determining an appropriate radius of curvature of thearcuate oscillation track (i.e., rail member), the natural period of thedamping body is set to be equal to that of the cable car. The naturalperiod T is given by the equation T=2 π (R/g)^(1/2) where R represents aradius of curvature of the rail member. Therefore, it is easy todetermine the natural period T since it is determined by the radius R.If the natural period of the cable car is known, the radius R can bedetermined, and the damping body will perform a single harmonicoscillation having a natural period determined by the above mentioned R.Since the cable car and the damping body resonate with each other, alarge stroke of oscillation is achieved. Therefore, a quick vibrationattenuation is realized. When the cable car oscillates in a largestroke, the vibration damping weight should also oscillate in a largestroke to quickly attenuate the oscillation. If a spring is attached tothe vibration damping weight, the weight cannot move in a sufficientlylarge stroke.

The passenger car oscillates (i.e, rolling vibration) having the centerof oscillation at a certain position on the cable or the supportingdevice mounted on the cable. Although the center of gravity of the cablecar varies depending upon the number of passengers in the cable car, itgenerally exists inside the passenger room and approximately coincideswith the center of gravity of the cable car itself. Therefore, the abovementioned R is the distance from the center of oscillation to the centerof the gravity of the cable car, and the natural period T of the cablecar is determine by this R. It is generally preferred to locate thevibration damping device at a position deviated from the center ofgravity of the cable car. Under the seat and the bottom and top of thecable car are all distanced from the center of gravity of the cable car.The location of the vibration damping device is always shifted upward ordownward from the center of gravity of the cable car in the presentinvention. Therefore, the vibration attenuation is achieved as desired.By changing the radius of curvature of the arcuate oscillation track forthe damping weight, the natural period of the vibration damping deviceis changed. Thus, it is easy to change the natural period of thevibration damping device. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve anappropriate attenuation effect regardless of the location of thevibration damping device.

First and second magnets may be attached to the end plates of the trackrespectively and third and fourth magnets may be attached to the dampingbody at its opposite end faces. The first magnet on one end plate mayhave the same polarity as the third magnet on one end face of thedamping body and the second magnet on the other end plate may have thesame polarity as the fourth magnet on the other end face of the dampingbody. The magnet may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. If thedamping body oscillates in an excessively large stroke and approachesthe end plate, a repulsive force is generated by the two facing magnetshaving the same polarity and it prevents collision of the damping bodyagainst the end plate of the rail member. The vibration dampingapparatus of the present invention does not need a mechanical element(i.e., spring) to adjust the natural period of itself, has a simplestructure, and is able to cope with a large stroke of vibration. Inaddition, preventing the damping body from hitting the end platesreduces a loss in the damping efficiency. Such a magnetic collisionavoidance mechanism lasts longer than a mechanical one and itsmaintenance is also easier.

It should be noted that only first and second cushioning or shockabsorbing members (e.g., spring or rubber) may be provided on the endplates and nothing may be provided on the damping weight or only thirdand fourth cushioning members may be provided on the opposite end facesof the damping weight and no such members may be provided on the endplates. If the shock absorbing members are only provided on the endplates or the damping body, the damping body might collide with the endplates. However, shock upon collision is reduced by the shock absorbingmembers so that the vibration damping efficiency is not degradedsignificantly.

An air resistance plate may be attached to the bottom of the dampingweight. This produces a braking force upon movement of the dampingweight. The air resistance plate may be replaced with a propeller. Boththe air resistance plate and the propeller can prevent excessiveoscillation of the damping body, which excessive oscillation results incollision of the damping weight to the end plates of the rail member.

A magnet may be attached to the damping body and an element which isattracted by the magnet may be mounted on the rail member so that abraking force is applied to the damping body. The magnet may be apermanent magnet or an electromagnet. This also prevents the dampingweight from oscillating in an over-stroke.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a cable car equipped with a vibrationdamping apparatus according to the present invention (first embodiment);

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the cable car shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the cable car shown in FIG. 1illustrating a positional relation between the vibration dampingapparatus and a passenger seat;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 1 illustrating a detailrelation between the vibration damping device and the passenger seat;

FIG. 4A shows a front view of the vibration damping device;

FIG. 4B illustrates a sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG.4A;

FIG. 4C illustrates a modification of the vibration damping apparatus;

FIG. 4D illustrates another modification of the vibration dampingapparatus;

FIGS. 4E and 4F show another embodiment of a rail member respectively;

FIG. 4G depicts a schematic transverse section of a modification of thevibration damping apparatus;

FIG. 4H depicts a phase relation between a vibration damping body, acable car and an external force;

FIG. 4I depicts a transverse section of another vibration dampingapparatus;

FIG. 4J illustrates a transverse section of still another vibrationdamping apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a gondola facility showing movementof a cable car of a single-cable automatically-circulating type;

FIG. 5A is a graph showing a relationship between a responsemagnification (vibration amplitude ratio) and a vibration period of thecable car without the vibration damping apparatus;

FIG. 5B is a graph showing a relationship between the responsemagnification and the vibration period of the cable car with thevibration damping apparatus;

FIG. 5C is a graph showing a relation between the response magnificationand the vibration period of the cable car with the vibration dampingapparatus when a natural period of the vibration damping apparatus andthat of the cable car are set to be the same and the vibration dampingapparatus is activated;

FIG. 5D is a graph showing a relationship between the responsemagnification and the vibration period of the cable car when the naturalperiod of the vibration damping apparatus is minus shifted from thenatural period of the cable car;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of a cable car equipped with a vibrationdamping device according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a lateral view of the cable car shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the cable car showing a positionalrelationship between the vibration damping apparatus and a bottom of thepassenger car (a cover for the vibration damping apparatuses isomitted);

FIG. 9 is an enlarged front sectional view of the cable car illustratinga detail positional relationship between the vibration damping apparatusand the bottom of the passenger car;

FIG. 10 depicts a schematic plan view of an overall gondola facilityshowing movements of the cable car of a single-cableautomatically-circulating type;

FIG. 11 shows a cable car equipped with a vibration damping apparatusaccording to another embodiment of the present invention (thirdembodiment);

FIG. 12 is a lateral view of the cable car shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 depicts a plan view of the cable car showing a positionalrelationship between a lower frame of a hanger and the vibration dampingapparatus;

FIG. 14 is a partly sectional front view of a connection between thehanger and the top of the passenger car;

FIG. 15 illustrates a front view of the vibration damping apparatusmounted on the lower frame of the hanger;

FIG. 16 is a schematic top view of a gondola facility showing movementsof the cable car of a single-cable automatically-circulating type;

FIG. 16A depicts a front view of a vibration damping device according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16B depicts a transverse section of the vibration damping deviceshown in FIG. 16A;

FIG. 17 shows a positional relationship between a slowdown rail, aboarding/stopping station frame and the cable car;

FIGS. 17A to 17G illustrate sectional views of modification of amagnetic damping device respectively;

FIG. 17H illustrates a schematic sectional view of another magneticdamping device employed when a cylindrical damping body moves in acylindrical casing;

FIG. 18 is a schematic front view of the cable car passing in thevicinity of a tower and an arm for supporting the cable car in themiddle of an endless track for the cable car;

FIG. 18A shows another modification of the vibration damping apparatusof the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a schematic front view of a cable car of a type having twostationary cables and one U-shaped drive cable with two gondolas at freeends of the U-shaped drive cable (reversible aerial tramway type), whichcable car being equipped with a vibration damping device according to afourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19A illustrates a sectional view of another embodiment of thevibration damping device according to the present invention;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged front view of a vibration damping device mountedon a roof of a cable car according to a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 20A depicts a front view of a vibration damping device according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20B is a transverse section of the vibration damping device shownin FIG. 20A;

FIG. 21A depicts a front view of a vibration damping device according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21B is a transverse section of the vibration damping device shownin FIG. 21A;

FIGS. 22A and 22B show a modification of a magnetic damping device; and

FIG. 23 shows a perspective view of a turntable to rotate the vibrationdamping device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

The first embodiment of the present invention deals with a cable carfacility or gondola 101 of a single-cable automatically circulating typeusing a cable gripping unit 103 as a supporting means 102 and will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5D.

Referring to FIG. 1, the gondola facility 101 includes the cablegripping unit 103 (i.,e., the supporting means 102) for holding a cable151, a hanger 110 suspended from the cable griping unit 103, a passengercar 120 suspended from the hanger 110 and couple of vibration dampingdevices 130 placed in parallel to each other inside the passenger car120 (FIG. 2). The cable gripping unit 103 generally extends in ahorizontal direction from the cable 151 in a width direction of thepassenger car 120 and has a gripping portion 105 at an end of its mainbody 104. The gripping portion 105 grasps the cable 151 resiliently by aspring (not shown). This type of grip is known as a spring-type. Themain body 104 of the griping unit 103 extends from the cable 151 in agenerally horizontal direction. On a lower surface of the gripping unitmain body 104, fixed is a pin 106 to pivotably support an upper end ofthe hanger 110. The pivotable connection at the pin 106 enables both thehanger 110 and the passenger car 120 supported by the hanger 110 toalways take a vertically suspended posture. A roller 107 is alsoprovided on the lower surface of the main body 104 of the gripping unit103.

The hanger 110 is suspended from the gripping unit 103. The hanger 110has a gently bent and downwardly extending main portion 111 and a lowerframe 112 extending generally horizontally. A lower end of the mainportion 111 is joined with an approximate center of the lower frame 112.An upper end of the main body 111 is supported by the gripping unit 103.The lower frame 112 is elongated in the width direction of the passengercar 120. The main portion 111 may be made from a tubular member having asquare or rectangular cross section. Cylindrical members 113 are fixedat ends of the lower frame 112. A rod 114 downwardly extends from eachcylindrical member 113, and a connection member 122 of the passenger car120 is engaged with each rod 114. The connection members 122 areprovided at a top 123 of the passenger car 120. The passenger car 120 issuspended from the hanger 110 at the connection members 122.

The hanger 110 extends straight as viewed from its lateral side (FIG.2).

The passenger car 120 has a body structure 121 which defines front andrear walls as well as right and left walls of the passenger car. Thepassenger car 120 also has the roof 123 and a bottom wall 124. Thepassenger car 120 is a closed carriage. Like an ordinary gondola, thepassenger car 120 has windows 125 for view watching and doors 126 forboarding (FIG. 2). Inside the carriage 120, a floor plate 127 isprovided on which passengers stand. Also, opposite front and rear seats128 are provided in the carriage 120 (FIG. 2). Each seat 128 extends ina direction perpendicular to the cable 151. Referring to FIG. 2, eachseat 128 includes a seat frame 128a, a seat plate 128b mounted on theseat frame and a back plate 128c. The front and rear seats 128 have thesame structure and the passengers face each other when they are seatedon the front and rear seats 128.

Referring to FIG. 4, a vibration damping device 130 of the presentinvention has a hollow closed casing 131 which extends in a widthdirection of the passenger car 120 and has a rectangular cross section.A damping weight 134 having rollers or wheels 135 is oscillatablylocated in the casing 131. This vibration damping device is a so-calledpassive type one. The longitudinal direction of the vibration dampingdevice 130 is a direction in which the gondola 101 or the passenger car120 vibrates. Details of the vibration damping device 130 is illustratedin FIGS. 4A and 4B. Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the bottom plate ofthe casing 131 is an arcuate rail plate 132 having a predeterminedradius of curvature R. The center O of the radius R is positioned abovethe casing 131. The rail plate 132 extends in a direction in which thegondola 101 vibrates ("X" directions in FIG. 4A). On the rail plate 132,provided is the damping body (i.e., damping weight or mass) 134 havingthe wheels 135. The damping body 134 is adapted to be able to freelymove right and left like a pendulum on the rail plate 132. When thedamping pass 134 moves on the rail plate 132, its wheels 135 roll on therail plate 132. End plates 133 are provided at longitudinal ends of therail plate 132. These end plates 133 are stopper plates for the dampingmass 134. Lateral plates 187 vertically stand from front and rear edgesof the rail plate 132 (FIG. 4B). The space defined by the rail plate132, the end plates 133 and the lateral plates 187 is closed by a topplate 188. As a result, a hollow box-shaped casing 131 is formed. Thedamping mass 134 reciprocally moves in this casing 131. The damping mass134 also has side rollers 190 as best seen in FIG. 4B. These siderollers 190 roll on the lateral walls 187 when the damping mass 134oscillates inside the casing 131. The vibration damping apparatus of thepresent invention is a passive vibration damping apparatus having thedamping mass 134 which naturally moves like a pendulum on the rail plate132 upon vibrations of the gondola 101.

A magnet 191 is attached to an inner face of each end plate 133 andanother magnet 192 is attached to each end face of the damping mass 134.A non-magnetic plate may be interposed between the magnet and the endplate and between the magnet and the damping mass. In FIG. 4A, themagnet 191 on the left end plate 133 has the same polarity of the magnet192 on the left end face of the damping mass 134, and the magnet 191 onthe right end plate 133 has the same polarity of the magnet 192 on theright end face of the damping mass 134. Consequently, if the dampingmass 134 oscillates in a large amplitude and approaches the end plate133 of the casing 131, a repulsive force is generated between the twofacing magnets (one on the end plate and one on the damping mass).Therefore, collision of the damping mass against the end plates 133 isprevented. The magnets 191 and 192 form in combination a collisionavoidance unit.

It should be noted that the magnets 191 and 192 may be permanent magnetsor electromagnets. More than one magnet may be attached to the end plateand the damping mass. The casing 131 shown in FIG. 4B has a rectangularcross section but it may have a square cross section or a circular crosssection. Further, the casing 131 may not a completely closed casing.Referring to FIG. 4I, for example, the bottom of the casing 131 may beformed by a pair of guide rails 132a extending in the longitudinaldirection of the casing 131 and the middle area of the bottom may beopen to the air. In this case, the damping weight 134 may have wheels135 but may not have side rollers 190. In addition, the top plate 188 ofthe casing 131 may be detachably provided as illustrated in FIG. 4I.Furthermore, a monorail 168 may be employed as shown in FIG. 4J. In thiscase, the damping body 134 may have a plurality of rollers 135b. Themonorail 168 may be provided in the casing 131 or without the casing131. In the latter case, the monorail 168 may be mounted on the floor127 of the passenger car 120 or supporting members 143 (FIG. 1).

When the gondola 101 vibrates upon an external force such as a wind, thecasing 131 also vibrates since these are integrated by casing pedestals136, cushion members 138 and supporting members 143 (FIG. 1). Therefore,energy of the oscillating rail plate 132 of the casing 131 istransmitted to the damping body 134 and the damping body 134 isnaturally caused to perform a single harmonic oscillation. Thisoscillation of the damping body 134 occurs in a 90-degree delayed phaserelative to the vibrating gondola 101, with the natural period of thedamping body being equal to that of the gondola 101. Therefore, thedamping body 134 reciprocally moves on the rail plate 132 in thelongitudinal direction of the rail plate 132 with a large stroke and thevibration of the gondola 101 is quickly damped.

The gondola 101 vibrates in a 90-degree delayed phase relative to theexternal force, and the damping body 134 vibrates in a 90-degree delayedphase relative to the gondola 101. Thus, there is a 180-degree phasedifference between the damping body 134 and the external force, and theexternal force is counterbalanced by the oscillation of the damping body134 (see FIG. 4H).

By appropriately determining the radius of curvature R of the rail plate132, it is possible to make the natural period of the damping body 134equal to that of the gondola 101. The natural period T of the dampingweight 134 is given by the equation T=2 π (R/g)^(1/2) so that it isdetermined by the radius R of the rail plate 132. R is obtained if thenatural period of the gondola 101 is known. The damping body 134performs a single harmonic oscillation having a natural perioddetermined by this R. The gondola 101 and the damping body 134 resonatewith each other so that the damping body 134 oscillates in asufficiently large stroke. If the gondola 101 vibrates in a largestroke, the damping weight 134 should also vibrate in a large stroke toquickly attenuate the vibrations.

If the damping body 134 oscillates in a too large stroke, it may collidewith the end plates 133. Such collision greatly degrades the vibrationdamping efficiency since the damping boy 134 moves non-linearly and itsoscillation does not occur in a desired relationship relative to theoscillation of the gondola 101. The vibration damping apparatus of thepresent invention, however, employs the collision avoidance unit (i.e.,magnets 191 and 192 mounted on the end plates 133 and the damping body134) so that an appropriate repulsive force is generated between the endface of the damping body 134 and the end plate 133 upon approach to theend plate. Therefore, the collision is prevented and the vibrationdamping effect is not weakened. The repulsive force is adjusted bychanging a magnetic flux produced by the magnets 191 and 192. If themagnets are permanent magnets, the number of the magnets is increased ordecreased. If the magnets are electromagnets, then an excitation currentapplied thereto is varied. The collision avoidance unit 191 and 192 is amagnetic unit, not a mechanical unit, so that deformations of the unitdo not occur and its maintenance is easier.

It should be noted that the magnets 192 may be mounted on a top face ora bottom face of the damping body 134. Likewise, the magnets 191 may beattached to the rail plate 132, the lateral plate 187 or the top plate188 of the casing 131. It should also be noted that the location of thevibration damping apparatus is not limited under the seat 128 or insidethe passenger car 120 as long as it is deviated from the center ofgravity of the gondola 101.

FIG. 4C illustrates another embodiment of the vibration damping deviceof the present invention. The vibration damping device of thisembodiment is similar to that shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Instead ofproviding the magnets 191 and 192 on the end plates 133 and the dampingbody 134 respectively, cushioning elements 193 are mounted on either theend plates 133 only or the damping body 134 only. FIG. 4C shows thecushioning elements 193 provided on the damping body 134. Eachcushioning element 198 includes a cylindrical spring case 195 embeddedin one end face of the damping body 134 to form an opening or space 194in the end face, a fixed center rod 196 extending generally horizontallyalong a center axis of the spring case 195, a cylindrical plunger 197slidably fitted over the center rod 196, a coil spring 199 placedbetween a flange 198 of the plunger 197 and a bottom plate of the springcase 195. The coil spring 199 may be linear or non linear. The plunger197 is biased outwardly by a resilient force exerted by the coil spring199. Numeral 189 designates a rubber attached to the exposed face of theplunger 197. The rubber 189 softens shocks and reduces noise uponcontact between metallic members. It should be noted that this rubber189 may not be provided in a certain application.

No repulsion force is generated until the damping body 134 hits the endplate in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4C so that the damping body 134may collide with the end plate (or stopper plate) 133 if it oscillatesin a large stroke. However, the shock upon the collision is reduced bythe cushioning elements 193 so that the vibration damping effect of thevibration damping apparatus is not greatly degraded (or it is maintainedat a tolerable level).

FIG. 4D shows a modification of the cushioning element. Instead of thespring cushions 193, rubber cushions or a gel member cushions 193a areattached to the end faces of the damping body 134. A vibration dampingeffect similar to that of FIG. 4C is achieved.

It should be noted that the cushion members may be provided both on theend plates 133 of the casing 131 and the end faces of the damping weight134. It should also be noted that no cushioning members may be providedif the oscillation track is sufficiently long and the damping weight 134will not collide with the end plates 133 of the casing 131.

It should further be noted that the rail plate 132 is not limited to theone having a completely smooth surface shown in FIG. 4A as long as itscenter area is lower than its ends and ensures a decent oscillatingmovement of the damping body 134. For example, a rail 132a made from aplurality of straight segments as shown in FIG. 4E and a V-shaped rail132b made from two curved rail segments as shown in FIG. 4F aresatisfactory.

It should also be noted that the casing 131 may have a tubular shape asdepicted in FIG. 4G. This tubular casing 131a has a front view similarto FIG. 4A but its transverse section is circular as illustrated in FIG.4G. The transverse section of the damping body 134a placed inside thecasing 131a is also circular. The damping body 134a may have a pluralityof rollers 135a on its surface so that it can move in the longitudinaldirection of the casing 131a (a direction perpendicular to the drawingsheet).

FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate another embodiment of the vibrationattenuation apparatus according to the present invention.

A base frame 2 is fixed on a floor 1 of a carriage of a gondola, and apair of parallel guide rails 3 having pedestals 4 are placed on the baseframe 2. Each guide rail 3 is arcuate and has a radius of curvature R.The center of the radius O is above the guide rail 3. The longitudinaldirection of the rail 3 coincides with a direction in which the carriage1 vibrates. A damping mass 5 having wheels 6 is placed on the guiderails 3. These wheels 6 roll on the guide rails 3 when the damping mass5 moves. As best seen in FIG. 16B, a plate 7 stands on the base frame 2between the pedestals 4. Referring to FIG. 16A, the plate 7 has anarcuate upper portion adapted to the curvature of the guide rail 3.Referring again to FIG. 16B, two mounting plates 9 hang from the bottomface of the damping mass 5 and magnets 8 are attached to inner surfacesof the mounting plates 9. The plate 7 is sandwiched by the magnets 9 ata certain clearance. The magnets 8 are magnetic force holding members.The magnets 8 and the plate 7 form in combination a magnetic damper I.In FIG. 16B, an upside-down L-shaped member 10 is connected with anouter edge of each guide rail 3 to define a C-shaped space enclosingeach wheel 6. These two members 10 are joined by a top member 11. Asillustrated in FIG. 16A, each cover 10 has the same length as the guiderail 3 in its front view. The vibration damping apparatus is a passivetype: the weight 5 naturally moves right and left on the guide rails 3upon vibrations of the gondola 1.

The magnets 8 may be permanent magnets or electromagnets. The number ofthe magnets 8 may vary depending upon circumstances. The plate 7 may bea copper plate or a ferrite plate.

If the carriage 1 is vibrated by an external force, the guide rails 3and the pedestals 4 also vibrate since they are integrated via the baseframe 2. Therefore, the oscillating energy of the guide rails 3 istransferred to the damping weight 5 and the weight 5 naturally performsa single harmonic oscillation with the same natural period as thecarriage 1. The damping weight 5 moves like a pendulum on the rails 3 ina large stroke so that the vibration of the carriage 1 is quicklyattenuated.

The carriage 1 vibrates in a 90-degree delayed phase relative to theexternal force. The damping weight 5 vibrates in a 90-degree delayedphase relative to the carriage 1. Therefore, there is a 180-degree phasedifference between the damping weight 5 and the external force. As aresult, the vibration of the external force is counterbalanced by theoscillation of the weight 5 (FIG. 4H).

By appropriately determining the radius of curvature R of the guide rail3, it is possible to set the natural period of the damping weight 5 tobe equal to that of the carriage 1. The natural period T of the dampingbody is given by the equation T=2 π (R/g)^(1/2) so that it is determinedby the radius R of the guide rail 3. R is obtained if the natural periodof the carriage (gondola) 1 is known. The damping body 4 performs asingle harmonic oscillation having a natural period determined by thisR. The carriage 1 and the damping weight 5 resonate with each other sothat the damping weight 5 oscillates in a sufficiently large stroke.

The damping weight 5 might oscillate in a too large stroke since itresonate with the gondola 1. However, the vibration damping apparatus ofthe present invention is equipped with the magnetic damper I to preventan excessive oscillation of the damping weight 5. Specifically, if themagnets 8 generate a magnetic flux and the weight 5 oscillates, theplate 7 attached to the bottom face of the weight 5 passes through themagnetic flux. This movement generates an eddy current in the plate 7and results in an electromagnetic force (braking force) which isdirected to a direction opposite the movement of the plate 7 (Fleming'sright hand rule). Therefore, the oscillating movement of the weight 5 isbraked and the weight 5 does not move in an over stroke. The vibrationdamping apparatus of the present invention can not only reduce thevibration of the gondola 1 but also restrict the over-stroke of theweight 5. The braking force applied to the damping weight 5 iscontrolled by adjusting the magnetic flux of the magnets 8. If themagnets 8 are permanent magnets, then the number of the magnets isincreased or decreased and/or the relative position of the plate 7 andthe magnets 8 is changed. The relative position is how the plate 7 isexposed in the magnetic flux. FIG. 22A shows the plate 7 more exposed inthe magnetic flux and FIG. 22B shows the plate 7 less exposed in themagnetic flux. Specifically, the plate 7 is lowered and less area of theplate 7 faces the magnets 8 in FIG. 22B as compared with FIG. 22A. Thebraking force applied to the plate 7 (i.e., the damping weight 5) isgreater in FIG. 22A than in FIG. 22B. Numeral 50 designates a supportplate for the plate 7 and numeral 52 designates a pin to hold the plate7 at a desired height. The location or height of the plate 7 isadjustable by the support 50 and the pin 52. FIGS. 22A and 22B show aweight similar to the one 4 shown in FIG. 4B (wheels 5 and side rollers10 are omitted). If the magnets 8 are electromagnets, then theexcitation current applied thereto is adjusted to control the brakingforce against the damping weight. Therefore, an appropriate brakingforce is applied to the damping weight 5. This braking unit I is amagnetic unit, not a mechanical unit, and it has a simple structure sothat its maintenance is easier.

It should be noted that the location of the magnets 8 and the plates 7and 9 of the magnetic damper I is not limited to the one illustrated inFIGS. 16A and 16B. FIGS. 17A to 17G illustrate various modifications ofthe magnetic damper I. In FIG. 17A, two magnets 8 are attached to frontand rear faces of a single plate 9 hanging from the bottom of the weight5 and are exposed to two plates 7 standing on the base frame 2. In FIG.17B, a single magnet 8 directly adheres on the bottom of the dampingweight 5 and a single plate 7 stands on the base frame 2 below themagnet 8 so that the magnet 8 and the plate 7 vertically face eachother. In FIG. 17C, the locations of the magnet 8 and the plate 7 areexchanged from those of FIG. 17B. In FIG. 17D, two plates 7 hang fromthe bottom of the damping weight 5 and each plate 7 is sandwiched by apair of magnets 8 attached to support plates 9 standing on the baseframe 2. Two sets of magnetic damper I are spacedly provided. In FIG.17E, two sets of the magnetic damper I shown in FIG. 17A are spacedlyprovided. In FIG. 17F, one plate 7 hangs from the damping weight 5 andone magnet 8 faces the plate 7. The magnet 8 is attached to a supportplate 9 vertically extending from the base frame 2. FIG. 17G shows amodification of FIG. 17F: the location of the magnet 8 and the plate 7are reversed.

FIG. 17H illustrates a modification of the damping weight casing and theattenuation weight. As illustrated, the casing 200 is circular in itstransverse section and the attenuation weight 5A is also circular in itstransverse section. A magnetic damper I is provided, too. It should benoted that the transverse section of the casing shown in FIG. 16B issubstantially rectangular. This rectangle is defined by the base frame2, the pedestals 4, the guide rails 3, the covers 10 and the top plate11. The attenuation weight 5 also has a rectangular transverse sectionin FIG. 16B. In FIG. 17H, a tubular casing 200 is employed and theweight 5A has a shape conforming with the shape of the casing 200. Theattenuation weight 5A has, for example, nine rollers 6A (only three areillustrated in FIG. 17H) on its peripheral wall. These rollers 6Acontact an inner wall of the tubular casing 200 and allow theattenuation weight 5A to reciprocally move in the tubular casing 200 inthe longitudinal direction of the casing 200 (a direction perpendicularto the drawing sheet of FIG. 17H). The magnetic damper I may be any ofthose illustrated in FIGS. 16B to 17G. In FIG. 17H, employed is amagnetic damper similar to the one depicted in FIG. 16B: two magnetshang from the weight 5A and a single plate 7B is positionedtherebetween. It should be noted here that the plate 7B is attached toanother plate 7A fixed on the casing 200 and the plates 7A and 7B arejoined by a pin 7C. The plate 7B is detachable from the plate 7A so thatthe height or location of the plate 7B relative to the magnets 5 isadjustable in this embodiment. Changing the relative location of theplate 7B results in change in an eddy current generated in the plate 7Band in turn change in an attenuating force to be generated by themagnetic damper I. A front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17H issimilar to FIG. 16A. The casing 200 has an arc shape of which centerarea is lower than ends. The tubular casing 200 makes the vibrationdamping apparatus compact.

All the embodiments shown in FIGS. 17A to 17H operate in a similarmanner as the embodiment of FIGS. 16A and 16B.

It should be noted that in the front view of the vibration dampingapparatus, the number of the magnet 8 is only one, as best seen in FIG.16A. However, there may be provided a plurality of magnets 8 in thelongitudinal direction of the rails 3.

FIG. 18A illustrates another modification of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 16A and 16B. Like in FIG. 4I, this vibration damping apparatus hasa base frame 2 fixed on a floor of gondola 1, lateral walls 10, a topcover 21, a pair of parallel guide rails 3 having pedestals fixed on thebase frame 2 and a damping weight 5 having wheels 6a and movably placedon the rails 3. The difference is that separate magnets 8 and plates 7are not provided: the wheels 6a serve as magnets and the rails 3 serveas the plates 7. In other words, the magnetic damper I is formed by thewheels 6a and the guide rails 3 in FIG. 18A. This arrangement does notneed separate magnets 8 and plates 7 so that the structure of thevibration damping apparatus becomes simpler.

FIG. 19A depicts a still another modification of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 16A and 16B. A pair of guide rails 3 in FIG. 16B is replaced witha monorail 3a. A weight 5 having a plurality of wheels 6 rides on themonorail 3a and a magnetic damper I is provided on the bottom of theweight 5. The illustrated magnetic damper I is similar to the one shownin FIG. 17A (locations of the magnets and plate are reversed). It shouldbe noted that the embodiment shown in FIG. 19A may be simplified likethe one shown in FIG. 18A. Specifically, magnetic wheels 6 may beemployed and the monorail 3a may serve as the plate 7. In FIGS. 16A, 16Band 19A, similar elements are assigned the same reference numerals. Themonorail 3a makes the vibration damping apparatus compact.

FIGS. 20A and 20B illustrate yet another modification of the embodimentshown in FIGS. 16A and 16B. Instead of the magnetic damper I made fromthe magnets 8 and the plates 7, an air resistance plate 13 attached to asupport element 12 hanging from the bottom of the damping weight 5 isprovided. The air resistance plate 13 extends in a directionperpendicular to a direction in which the damping weight 5 moves. Inshort, an aerophysics damper is used in this embodiment. The airresistance plate 13 prevents the damping weight 5 from oscillating in anover-stroke. An air resistance exerted by the plate 13 is adjusted bychanging the shape of the plate 13, increasing/decreasing the number ofthe plates 13 and/or making an opening in the plate 13. Accordingly, anappropriate damping force can be applied to the damping weight 5.

FIGS. 21A and 21B illustrates a modification of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 20A and 20B. Instead of the air resistance plate 13, a propelleror fan 14 is attached to the supporting member 12. As the weight 5moves, the propeller 14 generates a wind which prohibits the weight 50from oscillating in an over-stroke. The number of the propellers 14and/or the shape of the propeller 14 may be changed to control thedamping force applied to the weight 5. The propeller 14 may be mountedon an arbitrary part of the weight 5 (e.g., on a top surface of theweight) as long as it does not affect a proper movement of the weight 5on the rails 3. The propeller 14 may be a variable pitch propeller. Inthis case, the directions of blades of the propeller 14 are changeableso that the attenuating force is also changeable.

It should be noted that the monorail 3a shown in FIG. 19A may beemployed in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B and FIGS. 21A and21B.

It should also be noted that the vibration attenuation device may beadapted to rotate about its vertical axis Y (FIG. 16A). Referring toFIG. 23, a turntable 90 is provided between the carriage floor 1 (127)and the base frame 2 of the vibration attenuation apparatus 80 (130).The damping apparatus 80 may be fixed on the turntable 90 and theturntable 90 may be rotatable relative to the floor of the carriage 1(two apparatuses 80 (130) may be placed on a single turntable 90). Theturntable 90 enables the damping apparatus 80 to cope with vibrations(winds) in any direction. The turning of the vibration damping apparatus80 may be done by hands or a known drive mechanism (e.g., hydraulicdrive unit). If the turntable 90 should be turned manually, a singleopening may be formed in the turntable 90 and a plurality of matingopenings may be formed in the floor 1. The openings in the floor 1 maybe made in 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 degree positions relative to thelongitudinal direction of the carriage 1. A crew on the gondola insertsa pin into the opening of the turntable 90 and one of the matingopenings of the floor 1 to fix the direction of the vibration dampingapparatus 80. With the turntable 90, the vibration damping apparatus 80can attenuate vibrations in any direction.

It should be noted that the vibration damping apparatus 80 may not beplaced on the floor 1 via cushioning members such as ones 138 shown inFIG. 4 or a rubber plate.

It should be noted that the vibration attenuation apparatus of thepresent invention is applicable to any ropeway facility. It should alsobe noted that further changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from a spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the foregoing, the natural period of the vibration damping apparatus130 (80) coincides with that of the gondola 101 (1). However, if thenumber of people on the gondola 101 should be considered, the naturalperiod of the vibration damping apparatus 130 may be minus shifted byseveral % to several times ten % from the natural period of the gondola.The reason will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5D. Thegraphs shown in FIGS. 5A to 5D illustrate relationship between aresponse magnification (amplitude ratio) "mu" of the gondola and avibration period "T" of the gondola. The vertical axis indicates theresponse magnification and the horizontal axis indicates the vibrationperiod. "To" represents a natural period of the gondola. The responsemagnification is a ratio of inclination (i.e., amplitude) of the gondolapushed by an external force (winds) having a certain period toinclination of the gondola pushed by the same external force having noperiod. FIG. 5A depicts the relationship between the response magnitudeand the vibration period of the gondola when the gondola is not equippedwith the vibration damping apparatus of the present invention. In otherwords, FIG. 5A shows the response magnification of the gondola when itsnumber of degree of freedom in vibration is one. Thus, the curve ofresponse magnification has only one peak. FIG. 5B illustrates theresponse magnification curve when the gondola is equipped with thevibration damping apparatus. If the vibration damping apparatus isloaded on the gondola, the number of degree of freedom of the totalsystem becomes two according to a physical law. Therefore, the responsemagnification of the gondola has two peaks at "delta T"s as illustratedin FIG. 5B. Further, if the natural period of the gondola and that ofthe vibration damping apparatus are the same, the response magnificationof the gondola draws the curve as depicted in FIG. 5C. Specifically, ifthe gondola is provided with the vibration damping apparatus and thevibration damping apparatus is actuated with the same natural period asthe gondola, then the response magnification of the gondola has asufficiently low area around To as indicated by oblique lines. Theresponse magnification has a least value at To. This means that thevibration of the gondola is suppressed enough in the oblique area andthe vibration damping apparatus effectively functions in this range.At±delta T from To (or at two peaks of the curve), the responsemagnification has two maximum values and the vibration damping apparatuscannot demonstrate a satisfactory damping effect. If the natural periodof the vibration damping apparatus is minus shifted, the responsemagnification curve changes its shape as illustrated in FIG. 5D.Specifically, the left peak of the curve shown in FIG. 5C is flattenedand the oblique area (i.e., effective range of the vibration dampingapparatus) is widened as compared with FIG. 5C. Accordingly, shiftingthe natural period of the vibration damping apparatus to the minus sideresults in broadening the effective range of the vibration dampingapparatus. As understood from FIG. 5D, the effective area ranges from apoint "a" to a point "b" on the horizontal axis of the graph. FIG. 5Dillustrates the curve when people are getting off the gondola 101. Asthe people alight from the gondola 101, the natural period of thegondola is minus shifted and the response magnification of the gondolachanges from the one shown in FIG. 5C to the one shown in FIG. 5D. Theresponse magnification varies between the points "a" and "b" dependingupon the number of passengers on board. Therefore, even if the number ofpersons on the gondola changes, the effective range of the vibrationdamping apparatus never becomes smaller than that shown in FIG. 5C.Accordingly, it is preferred to beforehand minus shift the naturalperiod of the vibration damping apparatus from that of the gondola byseveral % to several times ten %. Particularly, if vibrations at thetime of no passenger should be attenuated, the natural period ispreferably minus shifted.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 4, installation of the vibration dampingdevice 130 will be described.

Each vibration damping device 130 has a dimension which can be placedunder the seat 128.

One vibration damping device 130 placed in a space 129 below the frontseat 128 and the other vibration damping device 130 is placed in anotherspace 129 below the rear seat 128 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Eachvibration damping device 130 extends in a longitudinal direction of theassociated seat 128 or a direction perpendicular to the cable 151.Vibrations in this direction are those which should be attenuated by thevibration damping devices 130. The vibration damping devices 130 areprovided in the same manner so that installations of one vibrationdamping device 130 will be described below.

As depicted in FIG. 4, a pair of U-shaped supporting members 143 isprovided on the floor 127 below the seat 128 inside the carriage 120.The open sides of "U" of the supporting members 143 face each other onthe floor 127. The supporting members 143 extend in parallel in thelength direction of the carriage 120 (i.e., a direction perpendicular tothe drawing sheet of FIG. 4). Two bores 144 are formed in an upper edge143a of each supporting member 143. The casing 131 of the vibrationdamping device 130 has pedestals 136 at its longitudinal ends 133. Thepedestals 136 extend downwardly. Each heel 136a of the pedestal 136 hasone bore 137. A cushioning member 138 is provided between the upper edge143a of the supporting member 143 and the heel 136a of the pedestal 136of the damping weight casing 131. The cushioning member 138 is aresilient member such as a vibration proof rubber having bolts 139 and140 at its top and bottom. The bolts 139 and 140 may be insert-molded orattached by an adhesive. The upper bolt 139 extends through the bore 137of the pedestal 136 and the upper end of the cushioning element 138 isfixed onto the pedestal 136 by a nut 141. The lower bolt 140 extendsthrough the bore 144 of the supporting member 143 and the lower end ofthe cushioning element 138 is fixed onto the supporting member 143 byanother nut 142. In this manner, each vibration damping device 130 issupported at four points via the cushioning members 138 (FIG. 3).

It should be noted that the number of the vibration damping devices 130in each installation space 129 may be more than one. Also, only onevibration damping device 130 may be provided under one of the seats 128and a counter balance may be provided under the other seat 128. If thereis a third seat between the front and rear seats, the vibration dampingdevice may be located under the third seat only or under all of theseseats. In addition, the longitudinal direction of the vibration dampingdevice 130 or the direction in which the damping weight 134 oscillatesmay be changed depending upon an actual vibration direction of thegondola 101. Specifically, the damping weight oscillation direction maybe oblique to the cable 151 as viewed from the top of the gondola 101.In the foregoing, it is assumed that the gondola 101 oscillates in thewidth direction of the gondola 101. However, the gondola 101 mayoscillate in a slightly different direction under various conditions.Turning the vibration damping device 130 may be necessary to coincidethe oscillation direction of the vibration damping weight with theactual oscillation direction of the gondola.

Now, operations of the gondola facility 101 will be described withreference to FIG. 5.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic top view of a single-cable automaticallycirculating gondola facility 150. Its supporting means 102 is the cablegripping unit 103. Boarding or stopping stations 152 are provided atopposite positions of an elongated endless track 156 and pulleys 153 areprovided at the upper and lower stations respectively. The endless cable151 is engaged over these pulleys 153 with an appropriate tension. Thecable 151 circulates in the endless track 156. The cable 151 is alsosupported and guided by cable holding up/down devices 159 mounted on anarm 158 of a supporting tower 156 at the middle of the conveyance track156. At the boarding stations 152, the gondola 101 moves on a boardingor slowdown rail 154 using the traveling roller 107 of the cablegripping unit 103 (FIG. 1). When the gondola 101 leaves the station(e.g., the lower station) 152, the cable gripping unit 103 firmly gripsthe general cable 151 which is moved at a normal speed. The cable 151 iscircularly driven so that the gondola 101 is conveyed toward theopposite station (e.g., the upper station) 152. When the gondola 101reaches the opposite station 152, the gripping unit 103 releases theconveyance cable 151 and rides on the boarding/slowdown rail 154. Inthis manner, a number of gondolas 101 are conveyed in the endless track156.

While the gondola 101 is traveling along the conveyance track 156 andthrough the boarding stations 152, the cable gripper 103 and the hanger110 of the gondola 101 approach machines and structures which arenecessary to drive the gondola 101. Therefore, a device attached to thegondola 101 should not intervene with these machines and structures. Inthe present invention, the vibration damping devices 130 are placedunder the seats 128 inside the passenger car 120 and they do not projectoutward from the gondola 101. Thus, the vibration damping devices 130 donot become obstructions to the surrounding facilities.

The gondola 101 rolls having the center of rolling on the cable 151 orthe supporting device 103 like a pendulum upon a wind (external force).The center of gravity of the gondola 101 generally coincides with thecenter of the passenger car 120 although it varies with the number ofthe people on board. The gondola 101 therefore performs an oscillationhaving a natural period determined by the distance from the center ofgravity to the rolling center. Generally the vibration damping device130 should not be placed at the center of gravity of the gondola 101 toinsure an appropriate damping effect. The location of the vibrationdamping devices 130 in this embodiment is the under the seat so that itis deviated downward from the center of gravity of the gondola 101.Therefore, the illustrated vibration damping devices 130 are able todemonstrate a sufficient damping effect. By changing the radius ofcurvature R of the arcuate rail plate 132 of the vibration dampingdevice 130, it is possible to arbitrarily determine the natural periodof the vibration damping device. Thus, an appropriate attenuation effectcan be realized.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to theabove embodiment. The illustrated embodiment is directed to anautomatically circulating gondola having an automatic cable gripperwhich grips and releases the cable. However, the vibration dampingdevice of the present invention is applicable to any type of ropewayfacility. For example, it is applicable to a gondola facility having twoparallel automatically circulating cables, a gondola facility having asingle endless cable with a plurality of carriages being fixed on thecable with predetermined clearances (fixed grip type), a gondolafacility having a U-shaped drive cable and two stationary guide cableswith two carriages being fixed at ends of the drive cable and the drivecable being hooked over a drive pulley at the upper station (reversibleaerial tramway type). Also, the supporting unit is not limited to thecable gripping device. For instance, it may be a rolling unit whichrolls on the stationary cable.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 6 to 10. This embodiment also deals with asingle-cable automatically-circulating gondola 201 which uses a cablegripping unit 203 as a supporting device 202.

Referring to FIG. 6, the gondola 201 includes the cable gripping device203 (i.,e., the supporting means 202) for holding a cable 251, a hanger210 suspended from the cable griping device 203, a passenger car 220suspended from the hanger 210, a pair of parallel vibration dampingdevices 230 attached to an outer surface of a bottom 224 of thepassenger car 220 (FIG. 7) and a bottom cover 245 attached to thepassenger car bottom 224 to house and hide the vibration damping devices230. The cable gripping device 203 generally extends in a horizontaldirection from the cable 251 and has a gripping portion 205 at an end ofits main body 204. The gripping portion 205 grasps the cable 251resiliently by a spring (not shown). This type of grip is known as aspring-type. The main body 204 of the griping device 203 extends fromthe cable 251 in a generally horizontal direction. At a lower surface ofthe gripping device main body 204, fixed is a pin 206 to pivotablysupport an upper end of the hanger 210. The pivotable connection at thepin 206 enables both the hanger 210 and the passenger car 220 supportedby the hanger 210 to always take a vertically suspended posture. Aroller 207 is also provided on the lower surface of the grip device mainbody.

The hanger 210 is suspended from the grip device 203. The hanger 210 hasa gently bent and downwardly extending main portion 211 and a lowerframe 212 extending generally horizontally. A lower end of the mainportion 211 is joined with an approximate center of the lower frame 212.An upper end of the main body 211 is supported by the gripping device203. The lower frame 212 is elongated in a width direction of thepassenger car 220. The main portion 211 may be made from a tubularmember having a square or rectangular cross section. Cylindrical members213 are fixed at ends of the lower frame 212. A rod 214 downwardlyextends from each cylindrical member 213, and a connection member 222 ofthe passenger car 220 is engaged with each rod 214. The connectionmembers 222 are provided on a roof 223 of the passenger car 220. Thepassenger car 220 is suspended from the hanger 210 at the connectionmembers 222.

The hanger 210 extends straight if viewed from its lateral side (FIG.7).

The passenger car 220 has a body structure 221 which includes front andrear walls as well as right and left walls of the passenger car. Thepassenger car 220 also has the roof 223 and the bottom wall 224. Thepassenger car 220 is a closed carriage. Like ordinary ones, thepassenger car 220 has windows 225 for view watching and doors 226 forboarding (FIG. 7). Inside the carriage 220, a floor plate 227 isprovided which passengers step on. Opposed front and rear seats (notshown) are provided on the floor 227 in the passenger car 220.

The vibration damping device 230 of this embodiment is the same as thatof the first embodiment. Therefore, its details are not described here.In FIG. 9, reference numeral 231 designates a vibration damping devicecasing, 232 a guide rail plate, 234 a damping weight, 235 wheels of thedamping weight, 291 magnets attached to end plates of the casing 231 and292 magnets attached to end faces of the damping weight 234.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, installation of the vibration dampingdevice 230 will be described.

FIG. 8 illustrates the bottom 224 of the carriage 220 of the gondola 201and the vibration damping devices 230 mounted thereon. The cover 245 forenclosing the vibration damping devices 230 is omitted for the sake ofclarity in this illustration. The vibration damping devices 230 do notextend outward from the bottom 224 of the gondola 220 in right and leftdirections as well as in front and rear directions of the gondola 220 asviewed from the bottom as best seen in FIG. 8.

Front and rear vibration damping devices 230 are suspended from thebottom 224 of the carriage 220. The two vibration damping devices 230extend in parallel in the width direction of the gondola 201. Vibrationsin the width direction of the gondola 201 are vibrations which should bemostly attenuated by the vibration damping devices 230. The vibrationdamping devices 230 are provided in the same manner so thatinstallations of one vibration damping device 230 will be describedbelow.

As depicted in FIG. 9, a pair of L-shaped supporting members 243downwardly extends from the bottom 224 of the carriage 220. The top ortip of "L" of each supporting member 243 is fixed near a right or leftedge of the gondola 201, the vertical side of "L" extends generallyvertically and the bottom side 243a of "L" extends generallyhorizontally. Two openings 244 are formed in the horizontally extendingportion 243a. Two suspension members 236 project upwardly from the topof the casing 231 of the vibration damping device 230 near eachlongitudinal end 233 of the casing 231 (FIG. 8). The suspension member236 is an upside-down "L"-shaped one and its horizontal side 236a facesthe horizontal side 243a of the associated supporting member 243 in aheight direction of the gondola 201. One opening 237 is formed in thehorizontal side 236a of each suspension member 236. The horizontal side243a is positioned below the horizontal side 236a. Between thesehorizontal sides, provided is a cushioning member 238. In short, thevibration damping devices 230 are suspended from the carriage bottom 224via the cushioning members 238.

The cushioning member 238 is a resilient member such as a vibrationproof rubber and has upper and lower bolts 239 and 240. The bolts may beinsert-molded while the cushioning member 238 is manufactured or may beattached later by an adhesive. The upper bolt 239 extends through theopening 237 formed in the horizontal section 236a of the suspensionmember 236 and the top of the cushioning member 238 is fixed to thehorizontal section 236a by a nut 241. The lower bolt 240 extends throughthe opening 244 formed in the horizontal section 243a of the supportingmember 243 and the bottom of the cushioning member 238 is fixed to thehorizontal section 243a by another nut 242. Therefore, each vibrationdamping 230 is mounted on the bottom 224 of the carriage 220 at fourlocations via the four resilient members 238 as best seen in FIG. 8.

The cover 245 completely houses the vibration damping devices 230 sothat appearance of the gondola 201 is not affected by the vibrationdamping devices 230. The cover 245 has a configuration in conformitywith the configuration of the carriage 220. The contour of the carriage220 is substantially continuous to the cover 245 as shown in FIG. 7.

It should be noted that the number of the vibration damping devices 230may be more or less than two. If an odd number of vibration dampingdevices are provided, a counter weight may be mounted to keep the momentbalance. In addition, the longitudinal direction of the vibrationdamping device 230 (i.e., the direction in which the damping weight 234oscillates) may not perpendicular to the cable 251. The oscillationdirection of the damping weight 234 may be slant to the cable 251 asviewed from the top of the gondola 201. A turntable means for changingthe oscillation direction of the damping weight 234 may be provided suchas one as shown in FIG. 23.

Now, operations of the gondola facility 201 will be described withreference to FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic top view of a single-cable automaticallycirculating gondola facility 250. Its supporting means 202 is the cablegripping unit 203. Boarding or stopping stations 252 are provided atopposite positions of an elongated endless track 256 and pulleys 253 areprovided at the upper and lower stations respectively. The endless cable251 is engaged over these pulleys 253 with an appropriate tension. Thecable 251 circulates in the endless track 256. The cable 251 is alsosupported and guided by cable holding up and down devices 259 mounted onan arm 258 of a supporting tower 256 at the middle of the conveyancetrack 256. At the boarding stations 252, the gondola 201 moves on aboarding or slowdown rail 254 using the traveling roller 207 of thecable gripping unit 203 (FIG. 6). When the gondola 201 leaves theboarding station (e.g., the lower station) 252, the cable gripping unit203 firmly grips the general cable 251 which is moved at a normal speed.The cable 251 is circularly driven so that the gondola 201 is conveyedtoward the opposite station (e.g., the upper station) 252. When thegondola 201 reaches the opposite station 252, the gripping unit 203releases the conveyance cable 251 and rides on the slowdown rail 254again. In this manner, a number of gondolas 201 are conveyed in theendless track 256.

While the gondola 201 is traveling along the conveyance track 256 andthrough the boarding stations 252, the cable gripper 203 and the hanger210 of the gondola 201 approach machines and structures which arenecessary for operations of the gondola 201. Therefore, a deviceattached to the gondola 201 should not intervene with these machines andstructures. In the present invention, the vibration damping devices 230are placed under the passenger car 220 and they have dimensions which donot project outward from the gondola 201 in right and left directions aswell as in front and rear directions. Also, the height of the vibrationdamping device 230 (or the cover 245) is relatively small. Thus, thevibration damping devices 230 do not become obstructions to thesurrounding facilities.

The gondola 201 rolls having the center of rolling on the cable 251 orthe supporting device 203 like a pendulum upon a wind (external force).The center of gravity of the gondola 201 generally coincides with thecenter of the passenger car 220 although it varies with the number ofthe people on board. The gondola 201 therefore performs an oscillationhaving a natural period determined by the distance from the center ofgravity to the rolling center. Generally the vibration damping device230 should not be placed at the center of gravity of the gondola 201 toachieve a sufficient damping effect. The location of the vibrationdamping devices 230 in this embodiment is the under the bottom of thecarriage 220 so that it is deviated downward from the center of gravityof the gondola 201. Therefore, the illustrated vibration damping devices230 are able to demonstrate a sufficient damping effect. By changing theradius of curvature of the arcuate rail plate of the vibration dampingdevice 230, it is possible to arbitrarily determine the natural periodof the vibration damping device. Thus, an appropriate attenuation effectcan be realized.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to theabove embodiment. The present invention is applicable to any type ofropeway facility.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 11 to 15. This embodiment also deals with asingle-cable automatically-circulating gondola 301 which uses a cablegripping unit 303 as a supporting device 302.

Referring to FIG. 11, the gondola 301 includes the cable gripping device303 (i.,e., the supporting means 302) for holding a cable 351, a hanger310 suspended from the cable griping device 303, a passenger car 320suspended from the hanger 310 and a pair of parallel vibration dampingdevices 330 mounted on a lower frame 312 of the hanger 310 above a top323 of the passenger car 320 (FIG. 12). The cable gripping device 303generally extends in a horizontal direction from the cable 351 and has agripping portion 305 at an end of its main body 304. The grippingportion 305 grasps a cable 351 resiliently by a spring (not shown). Thistype of grip is known as a spring-type. The main body 304 of the gripingdevice 303 extends from the cable 351 in a generally horizontaldirection. At a lower surface of the gripping device main body 304,fixed is a pin 306 to pivotably support an upper end of the hanger 310.The pivotable connection at the pin 306 enables both the hanger 310 andthe passenger car 320 supported by the hanger 310 to always take avertically suspended posture. A roller 307 is also provided on the lowersurface of the grip device.

The hanger 310 is suspended from the grip device 303. The hanger 310 hasa gently bent and downwardly extending main portion 311 and a lowerframe 312 extending generally horizontally. A lower end of the mainportion 311 is joined with an approximate center of the lower frame 312.An upper end of the main body 311 is supported by the gripping device303. The lower frame 312 is elongated in a width direction of thepassenger car 320. The main stem portion 311 may be made from a tubularmember having a square or rectangular cross section. The hanger 310extends straight as viewed from its lateral side (FIG. 12). Details ofthe lower frame 312 are illustrated in FIG. 13 in a plan view.

Referring to FIG. 13, the main portion 311 of the hanger 310 which isshown partly in cross section is accompanied with two horizontaltransverse members 313 extending in parallel to each other in the widthdirection of the gondola 301. The horizontal members 313 are located atthe substantially same height as the lower end of the hanger 310. Themain portion 311 and the horizontal members 313 are fixed to each other.Another pair of parallel horizontal members 314 extend perpendicularlyrelative to the first pair of horizontal members 313 or in the lengthdirection of the gondola 301. Ends of the first pair of horizontalmembers 313 are fixed to the middle of the second pair of horizontalmembers 314 respectively. At each end of the lengthwise member 314,mounted is a cylindrical member 315. A suspension rod 317 (will bedescribed later: FIG. 14) vertically extends through each cylindricalmember 315 to hang the carriage 320.

Referring back to FIG. 11, the passenger car 320 has a body structure321 which includes front and rear walls as well as right and left wallsof the passenger car 320. The passenger car 320 also has the roof 323and the bottom wall 324. The passenger car 320 is a closed carriage.Like ordinary ones, the passenger car 320 has windows 325 for viewwatching and doors 326 for boarding (FIG. 12). Seats (not shown) arealso provided in the passenger car 320.

FIG. 14 illustrates connection between the hanger 310 and the carriage320 at one of four joints. Four connection members 322 stand upward fromfour corners of the roof 323 of the carriage 320 (only one connectionmember 322 is depicted in this illustration). The connection member 322is a plate member. The lower frame 312 of the hanger 310 is coupled withthe carriage 320 by way of these connection members 322 (FIG. 12). Eachcylindrical member 315 fixed to the lower frame 312 extends verticallyand has an intermediate plate 315a thereinside which extendshorizontally or transversely. The resilient member 318 is placed in thecylindrical member 315 and seats on the intermediate plate 315a. Anopening 315b is formed in the intermediate plate 315a at the center ofthe plate 315a. The cushioning member 316 has a through hole extendingalong its longitudinal center axis. The suspension rod 317 verticallyextends through the though hole of the cushioning member 316 and theopening 315b of the intermediate plate 315a. A nut 317b and a bushing orwasher 317a are provided at an upper end of the suspension rod 317 tosupport the suspension rod 317. The suspension rod 317 is pulleddownwardly due to the weight of the carriage 320 so that the bushing317a resiliently seats on the cushioning member 316 or the cushioningmember 316 is pressed between the bushing 317a and the intermediateplate 315a of the cylindrical member 315. A lower end of the suspensionrod 317 is forked. Between the forked two ends, positioned is theextension 322 fixed to the roof 323 of the carriage 320. The forked endsand the extension 322 have mating openings which are horizontallyaligned when assembled. A pin 318 extends through these openings to jointhe suspension rod 317 and the carriage 320.

The vibration damping device 330 of this embodiment is the same as thatof the first embodiment. Therefore, its details are not described here.In FIG. 15, reference numeral 331 designates a vibration damping devicecasing, 332 a guide rail plate, 334 a damping weight, 335 wheels of thedamping weight, 391 magnets attached to end plates of the casing 331 and392 magnets attached to end faces of the damping weight 334.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 and 15, installation of the vibration dampingdevice 330 will be described.

FIG. 13 illustrates the top view of the carriage 320 of the gondola 301having the vibration damping devices 330 mounted on the lower frame 312of the hanger 310 and FIG. 15 illustrates part of the front view of thegondola 301.

Mounting members 336 are fixed to the bottom of the damping weighthousing 331 at four corners of the bottom plate 332 of each dampingweight housing 331 (FIGS. 12 and 13). In the front view (FIG. 15), thedownwardly projecting mounting members 336 are attached to the bottomplate 332 at longitudinal ends of the housing 331. A bore 337 is formedin each mounting member 336.

As mentioned earlier, the lower frame 312 of the hanger 310 has the twohorizontal members 314 extending in the length-wise direction and inparallel to each other as illustrated in FIG. 13. Four supportingmembers 327 are fixed to the inner side of each horizontal member 314 atpredetermined distances. The illustrated supporting member 327 has an Lshape. Two on the right horizontal member 314 and two on the lefthorizontal member 314 are used to support one vibration damping device330. The four pedestals 336 of the casing 331 of each vibration dampingdevice 330 are respectively placed on the four mating supporting members327 with a vibration absorbing element 338 being interposed therebetween(FIG. 15). Each vibration absorbing element 338 is a resilient membersuch as a vibration proof spring. The vibration absorbing element 338has upper and lower bolts 339 and 340 at its top and bottomrespectively. These bolts may be insert molded. Each upper bolt 339extends through the opening 337 of the associated pedestal 336 of thedamping weight housing 331 and each lower bolt 340 extends through themating opening 328 of the supporting member 327 attached to the lowerframe 312 of the hanger 312. A nut 341 fixes the housing pedestal 336 tothe upper end of the vibration absorbing element 338 and another nut 342fixes the support flange 327 to the lower end of the vibration absorbingelement 338. In this manner, the vibration damping devices 330 aremounted on the lower frame 312 of the hanger 310. The two vibrationdamping devices 330 are installed in the same manner. As illustrated inFIG. 13, each vibration damping device 330 spans the two horizontalmembers 314 in the width direction of the gondola 301. The dampingweight 334 oscillates in the width direction of the gondola 301, whichis the oscillation direction of the gondola 301.

It should be noted that a cover for enclosing the vibration dampingdevices 330 may be provided. It should also be noted that the number ofthe vibration damping devices 330 is not limited to two. How manyvibration damping devices 330 should be provided is determined dependingupon the weight of the gondola 301 or environmental conditions. Only onevibration damping device may be provided if sufficient for vibrationattenuation. In such a case, a counter weight may be provided tomaintain a moment balance.

The vibration damping devices 330 do not extend outward from the top 323of the gondola 320 in right and left directions as well as in front andrear directions of the gondola 320 as best seen in FIG. 13.

It should be noted that the longitudinal direction of the vibrationdamping device 330 (i.e., the direction in which the damping weight 334oscillates) may not perpendicular to the cable 351. The oscillationdirection of the damping weight 334 may be slant to the cable 351 asviewed from the top of the gondola 301. Means for turning the dampingweight housing 331 may be provided to coincide the longitudinaldirection of the housing 331 with an actual oscillation direction of thegondola 320.

Now, operations of the gondola facility 301 will be described withreference to FIG. 16.

FIG. 16 illustrates a schematic top view of a single-cable automaticallycirculating gondola facility 350. Its supporting means 302 is the cablegripping unit 303. Boarding or stopping stations 352 are provided atopposite positions of an elongated endless track 356 and pulleys 353 areprovided at the two stations (e.g., lower and upper stations)respectively. The endless cable 351 engages over these pulleys 353 withan appropriate tension. The cable 351 circulates in the endless track356. The cable 351 is also supported and guided by cable holding up anddown devices 359 mounted on an arm 358 of a supporting tower 357 at themiddle of the conveyance track 356. At the boarding stations 352, thegondola 301 moves on a boarding or slowdown rail 354 using the travelingroller 307 of the cable gripping unit 303 (FIG. 11). When the gondola301 leaves the lower station 352, the cable gripping unit 303 firmlygrips the general cable 351. The cable 351 is circularly driven so thatthe gondola 301 is conveyed toward the opposite station (i.e., upperstation) 352. When the gondola 301 reaches the opposite station 352, thegripping unit 303 releases the conveyance cable 351 and rides on theslowdown rail 354 again. In this manner, a number of gondolas 301 areconveyed in the endless track 356.

While the gondola 301 is traveling along the conveyance track 356 andthrough the boarding stations 352, the cable gripper 303 and the hanger310 of the gondola 301 approach machines and structures which arenecessary for operations of the gondola 301. Therefore, a deviceattached to the gondola 301 should not intervene with these machines andstructures. FIG. 17 illustrates the gondola 301 moving on theboarding/slowdown rail 354 in the vicinity of the boarding station 352.Generally a structure 361 is built in the boarding station 352, and aframe 355 hangs from the structure 361 to support various machines usedfor arrival and departure of the gondola at and from the station 352.The slowdown rail 354 is supported by the frame 355. Near the frame 355and the passage of the gondola 301, generally provided are controllersand drive units for causing the gripper 303 to grasp and release thecable 351, for accelerating and decelerating the carriage 320, forchanging the track from the main track 356 to the slowdown rail 354 andvice versa and for opening and closing the doors 326 of the carriage320. In the present invention, the vibration damping devices 330 areplaced on the lower portion of the hanger 310 above the roof 323 of thepassenger car 320 and they have dimensions which do not project outwardfrom the gondola 301 in right and left directions as well as in frontand rear directions. Also, the height of the vibration damping device330 is relatively small. Thus, the vibration damping devices 330 do notbecome obstructions to the surrounding facilities.

FIG. 18 illustrates the gondola 301 traveling along the main track 356and passing by the tower 357 which supports the cable 351. The arm 358extends horizontally from the tower 357 from the top of the tower 357,and the cable holding up and down device 359 is mounted at a free end ofthe arm 358. The cable holding up and down device 359 has a plurality ofrollers or wheels 360 to guide and support the cable 351 in the maintrack 356. The gripper 305 of the cable gripping unit 303 grasps thecable 351. When the gondola 301 passes over the cable holding up anddown device 359, the gripper 305 is guided by peripheral edges of eachwheel 360. The gripper 305 is firmly holding the cable 351 during thismovement. The vibration damping devices 330 pass by the tower 357, thearm 358 and the cable holding up and down device 359 with a sufficientclearance since they are mounted on the lower frame of the hanger 310near the roof 323 of the carriage 320.

The gondola 301 rolls having the center of rolling on the cable 351 orthe supporting device 303 like a pendulum upon a wind (external force).The center of gravity of the gondola 301 generally coincides with thecenter of the passenger car 320 although it varies with the number ofthe people on board. The gondola 301 performs an oscillation having anatural period determined by the distance from the center of gravity tothe rolling center. Generally the vibration damping device 330 shouldnot be placed at the center of gravity of the gondola 301 to achieve asufficient damping effect. The location of the vibration damping devices330 in this embodiment is the above the top 323 of the carriage 320 sothat it is deviated upward from the center of gravity of the gondola301. Therefore, the illustrated vibration damping devices 330 are ableto demonstrate a sufficient damping effect. By changing the radius ofcurvature of the arcuate rail plate of the vibration damping device 330,it is possible to arbitrarily determine the natural period of thevibration damping device. Thus, an appropriate attenuation effect can berealized.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to theabove embodiment. The present invention is applicable to any type ofropeway facility.

Fourth Embodiment

A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIG. 19. This embodiment deals with a reversible aerialtramway facility 450 which uses a traveling unit 403 as a supportingdevice 402.

Referring to FIG. 19, a gondola 401 includes the traveling device 403(i.,e., the supporting means 402) placed on cables 451 and 452, a hanger410 suspended from the cable traveling device 403, a passenger car 420suspended from the hanger 410 and a pair of parallel vibration dampingdevices 430 mounted on a lower frame 412 of the hanger 410 above a roof423 of the passenger car 420. The traveling device 403 includes aplurality of wheels 407 which are rotatably supported by parallel beams404 extending horizontally at the head portion 410a of the hanger 410.(FIG. 19 shows only one of them.) The wheels 407 simply ride on thestationary cable 451 and roll thereon upon application of a pullingforce to the gondola 401. The drive cables 452 are pulled by a separatedrive when the gondola should be moved. Connections 405 to the drivecables 452 from the gondola are also supported by the shafts 404. Thecables 452 is a traction means. In the front view, the wheels 407 arelocated between the connections 405. The generally C-shaped head portion410a of the hanger 410 supports the traveling device 403. A main body411 of the hanger 410 downwardly extends from the head portion 410auntil its lower frame 412. The lower frame 412 generally extendshorizontally. A carriage 420 of the gondola 401 has protruding rods 417on the roof 423 and these rods 417 are suspended from the lower frame412. The lower frame 412 has a similar structure to that of the thirdembodiment (FIG. 13) and the vibration damping devices 430 are mountedon the lower frame 412 in the same manner as the previous embodiment.Other details of this embodiment are also the same as the thirdembodiment. Numeral 434 designates a damping weight, 432 is a railplate, 414 supporting members of the lower frame, 431 a damping weighthousing and 456 a conveyance track.

Fifth Embodiment

A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIG. 20. This embodiment deals with a single-cableautomatically circulating gondola facility. A fundamental constructionof the gondola is the same as the third embodiment which is illustratedin FIGS. 11 and 12. The difference is illustrated in FIG. 20.Specifically, the vibration damping devices are mounted on the roof 323of the carriage 320 by way of cushion members and channel members inthis embodiment.

Mounting channel members 327A are provided on the roof 323 of thecarriage 320. Openings 328A are formed in the mounting members 327A. Thehousing 331 of the vibration damping device 330 has downwardlyprojecting elements 336A on its lower portion. Openings 337A are formedin these elements 336A. Each cushioning member 338 has the upper andlower bolts 339 and 340. Each upper bolt 339 extends through the opening337A of the projecting member 336A of the damping weight housing 331 andthe nut 341 fixes the top of the cushioning member to the projectionmember 336A. Each lower bolt 340 extends through the opening 328A of themounting member 327A of the carriage 320 and the nut 342 fixes thebottom of the cushioning member to the mounting member 327A. In thismanner, the vibration damping devices 330 are mounted on the carriageroof 323. This way of mounting is applicable to any type of ropewayfacility.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vibration damping arrangement for a cable car of a type having a hanger device suspended from a cable and a carriage suspended from the hanger device, the carriage having a seat and a floor below the seat inside the carriage, comprising:a downwardly arcuate track located under the seat and above the floor; a vibration damping body movably located on the track such that it can naturally oscillate on the track in a longitudinal direction of the track upon vibrations of the carriage; a first element adapted to be attached to the floor; and a second element attached to the vibration damping body for cooperating with the first element to apply a braking force to the vibration damping body, the first element generating an attracting force and the second element being an attracted element or the second element generating an attracting force and the first element being an attracted element.
 2. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 1, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnet, the attracted element includes at least one plate member to be attracted by the at least one magnet, the at least one magnet passes by the at least one plate member and applies a braking force to the vibration damping body as the vibration damping body moves on the track.
 3. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 2, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet and the plate member is a copper plate or a ferrite plate.
 4. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 1, wherein the vibration damping body has wheels and the track has a rail or rails so that the vibration damping body moves on the rail or rails using the wheels.
 5. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 4, wherein the wheels are made from a magnetic material and the rail is made from a material to be attracted by the wheels.
 6. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 1, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnetic flux member which generates a magnetic flux, and the attracted element includes at least one eddy current member in which an eddy current is produced when the at least one magnetic flux member passes by the at least one eddy current member so that a braking force is applied to the vibration damping body due to the eddy current.
 7. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 6 further including adjustment members for changing a relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member, whereby an amount of the eddy current to be produced in the eddy current member is adjustable.
 8. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 7, wherein the magnetic flux member is a magnet, the eddy current member includes a first plate member, the adjustment member includes a second plate member adapted to be mounted on the floor of the carriage and a connection member connecting the first plate member to the second plate member such that the first plate member is supported by the second plate member above the floor, whereby the adjustment member changes the relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member by changing a total height of the first and second plate members from the floor.
 9. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal direction of the track is generally perpendicular to the cable as viewed from the top.
 10. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 1, wherein the track includes a plurality of straight lengths.
 11. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 1, wherein a natural period of the vibration damping body is minus shifted from a natural period of the carriage by several % to several times ten % if the vibration damping arrangement is mounted on the cable car and a degree of freedom of a total vibrant system becomes two.
 12. A vibration damping arrangement for a cable car of a type having a hanger device suspended from a cable and a carriage suspended from the hanger device, the carriage having a width, a length and a bottom, comprising:a downwardly arcuate track adapted to be suspended from the bottom of the carriage in such a manner that it does not extend beyond the width and length of the carriage; a base frame provided below the track in such a manner that it does not extend beyond the width and length of the carriage; a vibration damping body movably located on the track such that it can naturally oscillate on the track in a longitudinal direction of the track upon vibrations of the carriage; a first element attached to the base frame; and a second element attached to the vibration damping body for cooperating with the first element to apply a braking force to the vibration damping body, the first element generating an attracting force and the second element being an attracted element or the second element generating an attracting force and the first element being an attracted element.
 13. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 12, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnet, the attracted element includes at least one plate member to be attracted by the at least one magnet, the at least one magnet passes by the at least one plate member and applies a braking force to the vibration damping body as the vibration damping body moves on the track.
 14. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 13, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet and the plate member is a copper plate or a ferrite plate.
 15. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 12, wherein the vibration damping body has wheels and the track has a rail or rails so that the vibration damping body moves on the rail or rails using the wheels.
 16. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 15, wherein the wheels are made from a magnetic material and the rail is made from a material to be attracted by the wheels.
 17. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 12, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnetic flux member which generates a magnetic flux, and the attracted element includes at least one eddy current member in which an eddy current is produced when the at least one magnetic flux member passes by the at least one eddy current member so that a braking force is applied to the vibration damping body due to the eddy current.
 18. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 17 further including adjustment members for changing a relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member, whereby an amount of the eddy current to be produced in the eddy current member is adjustable.
 19. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 18, wherein the magnetic flux member is a magnet, the eddy current member includes a first plate member, the adjustment member includes a second plate member mounted on the base frame and a connection member connecting the first plate member to the second plate member such that the first plate member is supported by the second plate member above the base frame, whereby the adjustment member changes the relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member by changing a total height of the first and second plate members from the base frame.
 20. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 12, wherein the longitudinal direction of the track is generally perpendicular to the cable as viewed from the top.
 21. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 12, wherein the track includes a plurality of straight lengths.
 22. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 12, wherein a natural period of the vibration damping body is minus shifted from a natural period of the carriage by several % to several times ten % if the vibration damping arrangement is mounted on the cable car and a degree of freedom of a total vibrant system becomes two.
 23. A vibration damping arrangement for a cable car of a type having a hanger device suspended from a cable and a carriage suspended from the hanger device, the carriage having a width, a length and a top, comprising:a downwardly arcuate track adapted to be supported by the hanger device above the top of the carriage in such a manner that it does not extend beyond the width and length of the carriage; a base frame provided below the track and above the top of the carriage in such a manner that it does not extend beyond the width and length of the carriage; a vibration damping body movably located on the track such that it can naturally oscillate on the track in a longitudinal direction of the track upon vibrations of the carriage; a first element attached to the base frame; and a second element attached to the vibration damping body for cooperating with the first element to apply a braking force to the vibration damping body, the first element generating an attracting force and the second element being an attracted element or the second element generating an attracting force and the first element being an attracted element.
 24. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 23, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnet, the attracted element includes at least one plate member to be attracted by the at least one magnet, the at least one magnet passes by the at least one plate member and applies a braking force to the vibration damping body as the vibration damping body moves on the track.
 25. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 24, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet and the plate member is a copper plate or a ferrite plate.
 26. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 23, wherein the vibration damping body has wheels and the track has a rail or rails so that the vibration damping body moves on the rail or rails using the wheels.
 27. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 26, wherein the wheels are made from a magnetic material and the rail is made from a material to be attracted by the wheels.
 28. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 23, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnetic flux member which generates a magnetic flux, and the attracted element includes at least one eddy current member in which an eddy current is produced when the at least one magnetic flux member passes by the at least one eddy current member so that a braking force is applied to the vibration damping body due to the eddy current.
 29. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 28 further including adjustment members for changing a relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member, whereby an amount of the eddy current to be produced in the eddy current member is adjustable.
 30. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 29, wherein the magnetic flux member is a magnet, the eddy current member includes a first plate member, the adjustment member includes a second plate member mounted on the base frame and a connection member connecting the first plate member to the second plate member such that the first plate member is supported by the second plate member above the base frame, whereby the adjustment member changes the relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member by changing a total height of the first and second plate members from the base frame.
 31. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 23, wherein the longitudinal direction of the track is generally perpendicular to the cable as viewed from the top.
 32. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 23, wherein the track includes a plurality of straight lengths.
 33. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 23, wherein a natural period of the vibration damping body is minus shifted from a natural period of the carriage by several % to several times ten % if the vibration damping arrangement is mounted on the cable car and a degree of freedom of a total vibrant system becomes two.
 34. A vibration damping arrangement for a cable car of a type having a hanger device suspended from a cable and a carriage suspended from the hanger device, the carriage having a width, a length and a top, comprising:a downwardly arcuate track having a base frame adapted to be mounted on the top of the carriage in such a manner that the track and base frame do not extend beyond the width and length of the carriage, the track being spaced from the base frame; a vibration damping body movably located on the track such that it can naturally oscillate on the track in a longitudinal direction of the track upon vibrations of the carriage; a first element attached to the base frame; and a second element attached to the vibration damping body for cooperating with the first element to apply a braking force to the vibration damping body, the first element generating an attracting force and the second element being an attracted element or the second element generating an attracting force and the first element being an attracted element.
 35. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 34, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnet, the attracted element includes at least one plate member to be attracted by the at lest one magnet, the at least one magnet passes by the at least one plate member and applies a braking force to the vibration damping body as the vibration damping body moves on the track.
 36. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 35, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet and the plate member is a copper plate or a ferrite plate.
 37. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 34, wherein the vibration damping body has wheels and the track has a rail or rails so that the vibration damping body moves on the rail or rails using the wheels.
 38. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 37, wherein the wheels are made from a magnetic material and the rail is made from a material to be attracted by the wheels.
 39. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 34, wherein the element generating an attracting force includes at least one magnetic flux member which generates a magnetic flux, and the attracted element includes at least one eddy current member in which an eddy current is produced when the at least one magnetic flux member passes by the at least one eddy current member so that a braking force is applied to the vibration damping body due to the eddy current.
 40. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 39 further including adjustment members for changing a relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member, whereby an amount of the eddy current to be produced in the eddy current member is adjustable.
 41. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 40, wherein the magnetic flux member is a magnet, the eddy current member includes a first plate member, the adjustment member includes a second plate member mounted on the base frame and a connection member connecting the first plate member to the second plate member such that the first plate member is supported by the second plate member above the base frame, whereby the adjustment member changes the relative positional relationship between the magnetic flux member and the eddy current member by changing a total height of the first and second plate members from the base frame.
 42. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 34, wherein the longitudinal direction of the track is generally perpendicular to the cable as viewed from the top.
 43. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 34, wherein the track includes a plurality of straight lengths.
 44. The vibration damping arrangement of claim 34, wherein a natural period of the vibration damping body is minus shifted from a natural period of the carriage by several % to several times ten % if the vibration damping arrangement is mounted on the cable car and a degree of freedom of a total vibrant system becomes two. 